Northern Argentina: A Birding Bonanza

Rufous-throated Dipper © Andrew Whittaker

This exciting new tour offers great exposure to the bird-rich and picturesque northern tier. Fascinating and varied habitats range from Chaco Forest, Monte Deserts, and Andes clad by lush Yungas Forests to golden Puna and to the northeast’s vast wetlands of Ibera Marshes and mighty Iguazu Falls nestled within delightful Parana Forest. Guaranteed easy and fun birding with opportunities to observe many exciting endemics and near-endemics, with a possible list of over 450 bird species!

Argentina is a huge, friendly, and fascinating country offering naturalists a wealth of exceptional birding and wildlife viewing opportunities. The recent publication of the superb Birds of Argentina field guide has enhanced the appeal of a visit to this magical country known mostly for its soccer, spectacular steaks, wine, tango, and the Andes.

Timed for the best of early summer birding and nice weather, our carefully planned itinerary includes visits to the top birding locations covering all six major biomes in this, the most bird-diverse part of the country. From the bird-rich northeast, north-central, and finally to the northwest, we’ll see an extraordinary range of birds, wildlife, and scenery. Among the expected widespread southern species, we’ll have opportunities to observe many sought after range-restricted endemics and near-endemics as well.

We begin in the magical Iberá Wetlands of northeast Argentina, recognized as one of the most important freshwater ecosystems in South America. In size, they are second only to the Pantanal region of southwest Brazil. The Iberá Wetlands are remarkable not only for the high diversity and sheer numbers of birds that occur there with daily lists often around 100 species, but also for their number of range-restricted species, including the endangered Yellow Cardinal, unique Sickle-winged Nightjar, and odd-looking Strange-tailed Tyrant. Others include Long-winged Harrier, Jabiru and Maguari storks, Plumbeous Ibis, Giant Wood-Rail, Streamer-tailed Tyrants, White and Black-and white monjitas, Crested Doradito, and an assortment of stunning breeding plumaged rare seedeaters including Marsh, Chestnut, Rufous-rumped, Dark-throated, and Ibera, as well as Marsh Deer, Capybara, Caiman, and much more.

Next we visit the majestic Iguazu Falls, by any standard among the most spectacular falls on the planet. Birds abound in its delightful tropical forest setting. This corner of Argentina contains the most diverse avifauna in the country, boasting Helmeted, Blond-crested, Robust, and Yellow-fronted woodpeckers; rare Black-throated Piping-Guan; Plush-crested Jay; furnariids; Spot-backed and Tufted antshrikes; Swallow-tailed Manakin; Surucua and Atlantic Black-throated trogons; toucans; hummingbirds; flycatchers; and colorful tanagers.

The majority of the tour will be devoted to exploring Andean habitats in the country’s northwest for a suite of special birds. Nearly all visitors to this region are surprised by the richness of the avifauna and its scenic beauty. From lush Yungas forests in the foothills near Salta to craggy canyons and the broad sweep of grassland páramo, a splendid palette of exciting birds awaits the inquiring naturalist. This is a region well-stocked with interesting furnariids—spinetails, thornbirds, canasteros, earthcreepers, miners, cinclodes, and foliage-gleaners—Red-tailed Comet (among the most dazzling hummingbirds of all), and lagoons holding a spectacular assortment of waterbirds, shorebirds, and flamingos that stretch away into shimmering mirages of pink under magnificent cyan skies. A mouthwatering selection of poorly-known near endemic and endemic birds includes Red-faced Guan, Tucuman Parrot, Bare-eyed Ground Dove, Dot-winged Crake, South American Painted-Snipe, Buff-fronted Owl, Dinelli’s Doradito, White-browed Tapaculo, Tucuman Mountain Finch, Rufous-bellied Mountain Tanager, Yellow-striped and Fulvous-headed brushfinches, Yungas Sparrow, recently described Monte Yellow-Finch, and magnificent Rufous-throated Dipper to name a few.

We carefully planned enough time to absorb ourselves in the truly varied Chaco, a broad desert-like region stretching from southeastern Bolivia across western Paraguay and into the heart of northwest Argentina. The avifauna is particularly rich, and the vast majority of Chaco birds are not well known to naturalists. To those who have visited or lived in the Sonoran Desert of the American Southwest, much of the Chaco will have a familiar feel, home to a splendid avifauna such as Black-legged Seriema, Spot-winged Falconet, Chaco Owl, Black-bodied Woodpecker, Blue-tufted Starthroat, Spot-backed Puffbird, Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper, Olive-crowned Crescentchest, Sandy and Crested gallitos, White-throated Cacholote, and Black-crested Finch, while unique saltpans hold the lovely endemic Salinas Monjita.

Good to excellent accommodations; wonderful cuisine and famous wine; moderately paced with easy birding throughout; most birding along roadsides or forest trails; relaxed boat trips in the Iberá marshes; physical demands light to moderate with easy walking on varied terrain, but some hills in the Andes will require walking on rolling terrain; we will reach altitudes of 12,000 feet on two days, but we plan no hikes at this altitude; early summer weather conditions mostly sunny and pleasant but with considerable variances depending on location; from hot and dry in the Chaco to cool, even cold, at higher elevations in the Andes or hot and humid around Iguazu.

Andean Condors © Andrew Whittaker